Danger and Deceit
by KillersEdge
Summary: When a mission goes wrong and Akali is left badly injured, Shen realises just how much she means to him as more than a friend. But when Akali gives the report of the mission, new suspicions arise. Warning for slight OOCness.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: When a mission goes wrong and Akali is left badly injured, Shen realises just how much she means to him as more than a friend. But when Akali gives the report of the mission, new suspicions arise.

….

"Akali, come here. I have a task for you." A deep voice sounded through the room.

The Fist of Shadow was silently meditating when her Master appeared with a request. Looking up, she noted his grim expression. Giving an inward sigh, the kunoichi refrained from frowning; she knew the task would be nothing good.

"Yes, Master."

Akali stood up quickly and obediently followed her master, closing the sliding doors behind her once they entered his room.

When he sat down on the polished wooden floors, Akali followed, sitting on her knees as she awaited his request. The tension in the air was almost tangible. His usually calm facial features were replaced with agitation and Akali felt a nervous pit forming in her abdomen.

The silence continued for a few more seconds before he spoke.

"I'm sure you know of the many enemies we have accumulated over the years. Both in and out of the League."

With a swift nod, Akali stared into his face. It was marred by a scar that went across his cheek and eyes hardened with battle and war. The respect she felt for him could only be compared to the respect she felt for her teammates.

"My sources claim that one of those enemies has been sending us threats for quite a while now. Lately, he has been bolder and is outright challenging us. I want you to kill him and return with one of his possessions as proof."

It was, in all honesty, a strange request. Tasks to kill someone was by no means a rare thing. But to be so sure as to want proof?

Yes, strange indeed.

"Will this be a solo mission?"

He gave a strange expression before nodding.

"Yes. Your agility and stealth will be most needed for this task. You must not be seen. You leave tomorrow with five days to finish. Understood?"

Nodding again, she silently and stood up to leave but was surprised at what he said next.

"Do not let anyone know what your task is about. Not even your fellow teammates… And be careful. This may or may not be a dangerous mission but do not take risks."

….

Standing at the entrance to the institute, she tied her hair into its usual ponytail, the ebony strands flailing wildly as she quickly secured it into place.

Her master's words were still echoing in her mind. Usually her missions were simple and easy. Why was he so tense? She would be sure to ask him once she returned. Something was not quite right and she was sure he knew it.

Taking a deep breath she took a step forward before turning her head to the back.

It was always like this. She would give the place one last look before she left.

And say a silent prayer that she would come back alive.

….

She was late…

Akali prided herself on punctuality. She was always first to arrive for anything. And yet… it had been several days now. Her task was set to be less than a week. Five days to be precise. Usually she would finish early and come back on the third or fourth day.

No more. No less.

According to their master, it would be simple.

But she was not here. And that alone was enough to evoke some sort of worry in the Eye of Twilight.

Shen sat, legs crossed, meditating. Or he would be if he could concentrate. His failed attempts at meditation could only be pinned onto the unsettling absence of his closest friend. Something about her being near always calmed him, made him at ease.

But when he heard Akali was to leave for a mission, he asked her about it. All attempts was futile though as she was tight-lipped about the whole thing. Everything about it seemed odd.

He sighed and pushed those thoughts away. Taking a deep breath, he attempted yet again.

But suddenly his eyes shot open when the door slammed against the wall with a frantic looking Kennen standing there.

"Shen…! Akali is…!"

Kennen didn't finish his sentence but it was enough for Shen to understand.

He stood up immediately and left quickly with the smaller ninja.

….

The halls of the league's hospital seemed to drag forever as the doctor explained Akali's injuries.

Where had Kennen disappeared to? Shen looked around, keeping an eye out for the smaller ninja but he was gone. He tried to hear what the doctor was saying while ignoring all the ailing patients walking down the halls.

4 broken ribs.

1 broken arm.

Various bruises.

12 stitches along her thigh.

Mild concussion.

According to the reports, her foe was strong. They had battled and in the end Akali had won, killing her enemy, but with many repercussions on her side. But the report wasn't accurate. It was what they had assumed.

The mission was a failure.

He hadn't heard that word in so long.

Failure.

It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

But honestly? Something didn't feel quite right about it. Something was out of place. Hardly would Akali ever come home half-dead. That had only happened once and since then she had put herself on a task to become stronger. To never lose a fight. So her coming home looking like something a cat dragged in was certainly an unpleasant shock.

….

The room was a dazzling white. Akali's bed was one among eight which was next to the window at the end of the room. He could see hers from the doorway.

Shen felt his stomach drop when he saw his closest friend. She was lying on her back, IVs connected into her arm. Her face was devoid of her mask and badly bruised and swollen, to the point one could barely know it was indeed Akali. Her head was bandaged around her forehead and her once lustrous black hair was matted and dirty. Her left arm, in a cast, rested on her chest as she slept less than peacefully.

Though not visible, Shen guessed that her body must've looked just as bad.

Keeping a stony gaze on the doctor he asked, "Can the damage not be healed with magic?"

The doctor looked apologetic when he answered. "Unfortunately, no, we cannot. Her foe used magic," the doctor explained. He paused before continuing. "We fear that any more of it and it could cause more harm to her. Until some of the magic removes itself from her body, she will have to heal manually."

Shen knew that a body could only handle so much raw magic. Too much of it and humans would start to show abnormalities. With the injuries Akali had, that would be even more detrimental to her health.

The Eye of Twilight swallowed before he continued. "And how long will that take?"

"Between one and three days, more or less. We will let you know if there is any change. She should be able to leave next week but she must return for constant check-ups for her arm and the damage to her head. "

Nodding his approval, Shen headed towards her bed, taking a seat on the white chair beside it. Casting one more glance at the doctors retreating figure, he dragged his eyes to the sleeping kunoichi.

He sat watching her face, the rise and fall of her chest, her laboured, struggled breaths before he looked to the white tiles of the floor. Clasping his hands together, he took a deep breath before letting it out.

Was she reckless again? She was known for being a little reckless. Careless. Rushing into something with little thought. Did it manage to get her into trouble this time? One would think Kennen would be more impulsive than she was, but no. Always charging in like a bull straight into chaos.

Lost in his train of thoughts, Shen casted looks frequently at his injured friend.

"Akali… what have you done now?" he muttered softly.

She gave no response, as expected.

But it left a mark.

Staring out the window a few beds away, Shen noticed the setting sun.

Was it that late? He had been so lost in his thoughts that time flew quickly.

Giving the sleeping woman one final lingering look, he stood up and silently left the room.

….

'I should have been there.'

That was the thought Shen woke up to the next morning.

His dreamless slumber was broken by the time it was dawn, as usual. He would have to continue with his vigorous training. Would it be different? Would the change be noticed?

An image of Akali appeared in his head, uninjured. Then it was replaced with her in the hospital. The Eye of Twilight suddenly felt a feeling weigh him down. Something he had not felt in a long time.

He sighed at the realisation.

Guilt.

Seeing Akali's broken body evoked many feelings in him, but guilt was the most prominent. He was supposed to be the one to protect her. He was supposed to be looking out for her.

At some point in his past, he had made a silent vow to never let her get hurt on his behalf. He knew he could've gone with her. But his Master was strict.

"Ninjas work best alone, Shen."

That sentence had been told to him so many times, he had lost count. It wasn't that he thought his comrades were weak, not at all, but the fact that there was the risk of them dying. And even though it really wasn't his fault, the Eye of Twilight felt the guilt weighing him down.

Anger, disgust, guilt, sadness.

Anger towards her for not being careful.

Disgust towards himself for not being there to protect her.

Guilt for knowing that all of it could've been prevented if he was there.

And sadness at seeing her so… broken. Why he was feeling so much for her was unknown to him.

As a member of the Kinkou, feelings were meant to be locked out. Kept away from the eyes of many. Especially Shen. But Akali was his friend, teammate, and companion. Was he not allowed to show some compassion for her?

Ignoring his inner quarrel, he slowly prepared himself for the day ahead.

…

"Shen! Concentrate!"

The training had indeed felt different. Knowing that Akali was on a mission and knowing she was in hospital knocked out was a totally different story.

His thoughts were continuously wandering off, more often than not to his friend and companion.

And his Master had noticed this when they were sparring.

The old man's angry frown was betrayed by the concerned look in his eyes.

"Shen… I understand that Akali's injuries are severe and it is upsetting. But you must not let this deter your training! Each one of us will get injured during our lifetime but when it happens you must not let it get you down."

Those words made something snap in his head. His spine stiffened as the realisation hit him that Akali's grievances was getting to him way more than it should.

What was he doing? Acting completely different because of one measly wounded teammate?

Why?

Giving his Master a look of anger he asked, "Just what was the mission Akali had to complete? What type of task would you set here to do for her to come back half-dead? And why are you not telling any of us what it's about?"

Closing his eyes, the Master replied, "That is none of your concern, Shen."

Feeling a bubble of anger rise in his chest, Shen took a breath and calmed himself down. There was no point in getting frustrated now. It wouldn't change anything. He knew his Master could be just as mum about everything like Akali was when he'd asked her before she left. He wasn't going to push it.

….

Visiting Akali again had been surprising. It had been two days since his last visit. The pent up frustration he had felt had now dissipated and he felt it was okay to see her again. She was still asleep but she had been cleaned up. The shine had returned to her hair. Her bloodied bandages had been changed with new clean ones. And the swelling in her face had gone down immensely. She was also more at ease while she was asleep now.

Something caught Shen's eye while he walked to her bed. There was something scribbled on her cast.

Taking a closer look, Shen rolled his eyes when he read the words written in bold black ink: "Kennen was here!"

Had the Heart of the Tempest been here earlier? That was probably where he disappeared to during their training today. Sitting on the chair he watched as another patient was brought in, asleep, and was put on one of the beds. A few nurses made sure everything was okay with the patient before leaving and Shen's attention was once again back on his friend.

Shen watched Akali silently as she slept. Though the woman was more comfortable than the day before, her injuries still stabbed him in the chest each time he gazed at them. The guilt wouldn't leave. It wasn't his fault, right? His eyes trailed over her peaceful face to her right arm lying outside the white sheets of the bed.

He stared at her hand and he had a sudden urge to take it into his own. Before he even knew what he was doing, his hand found its way to hers. Her dainty fingers slipping between his calloused ones. He squeezed it softly and he could've sworn that the hand twitched but after no movement thereafter, he assumed he had imagined it. But just as quickly as he had taken her hand, he let go. He shouldn't be doing that.

Soon after a nurse came around to Akali to check up on the sleeping kunoichi. The nurse looked at Shen before saying: "I'll just be a minute." She gave him a small smile and continued to check Akali's IV drip, her temperature, and heart rate. When everything was as it should be she turned once again to the somewhat curious Eye of Twilight as he watched her.

"She should be waking up soon. I'm sure you're very worried." She gave him a smile as her eyes flickered from him to her, a glint of amusement shining in them. "Since you're here, I'll bring her food. She has difficulty eating. You wouldn't mind feeding her would you?"

Shen shook his head as the nurse's smile grew into a full grin. "Great! I'll be right back!"

…..

True to the nurse's word, Akali's eyes twitched a few minutes after. Shen, who was staring out the window when this had happened, was oblivious to the woman's confused look when her eyes had opened. Seeing her best friend made her feel nervous. Had he heard of the mission? Was that why he looked so distressed? The fear of having disappointed him was more than she could bear.

She watched him a little while longer before finally deciding to say something.

"…" No words came out of her mouth. Whatever she wanted to say never escaped.

His head turned slowly towards her, noticing the small sound she made, and she noticed how his eyes grew larger for a second before returning to normal. To her surprise he looked almost happy that she was conscious.

"Akali… You're awake." He seemed much more relaxed, Akali noticed and tried to get into a sitting position. He stopped her however, shaking his head.

"Do not exert yourself. Let me help you."

He stood up from his seat and gently moved her up so she could sit comfortably. Putting her pillows against the bed for her to rest her back against, he sat once again down. He hadn't noticed the blush on Akali's face as he helped her.

The nurse from earlier arrived with her food on a platter. She placed it on Akali's lap, gave Shen a wink and an encouraging smile to Akali before leaving.

The Fist of Shadow frowned at the food. Since it was still somewhat morning, they gave her eggs and vegetables to eat. She knew it would taste horrible, since it was at the hospital, but food is food. She sighed and attempted to eat with her uninjured hand. She was stopped yet again by Shen who had been quietly watching her.

To her dismay he started to feed her the food. Giving him a sceptical look, she allowed it. Where was all this … weirdness coming from? Shen was kind, yes, but was he so worried about her to help her to this extent? Maybe she was overthinking everything and he was just offering a helping hand since hers was… unusable at this point.

Not thinking about it any further, she just ate what he gave her until there was nothing left. Horrible as it was, the thought behind what Shen did was comforting in its own way. But just having him there was enough for her.

….

The Fist of Shadow concluded something: Hospitals were amazingly boring. You sat whole day not being able to move around, as the nurses would get very angry, and stare at walls which were blindingly white. Occasionally a new patient would come in but then chances were, that person was sleeping. There was no one to talk to. Visiting hours started only from late morning to late afternoon. It was almost dusk, from what she could tell, and sleep was beyond her.

There was absolutely nothing to do. But soon the nurses would make their nightly rounds and drug Akali. Thereafter she would sleep until the morning when Kennen and Shen would visit. It was four more days according to the doctor that she would be able to leave.

She wouldn't be able to train at all. Her chest ached when she breathed in, though the painkillers numbed that as well as the pain in her arm and thigh. She would also have to walk around in a cast for a while till they could heal her through magic. She wouldn't have any rift matches for a bit either.

Frowning, she gave a bored sigh. What a long, long while that would be.

Being injured was not something she would like to go through often.

Then there was the conversation she had with Shen earlier that day. Soon after he had fed her, he had asked about her injuries. In other words, how she had gotten them.

It hurt to lie to him. But she had to. Until their Master gave her permission, she was not to utter a single word about the task. Trying as it was, she would not give in so easily. Soon, Master would come speak to her personally and then, maybe if he approved, she would tell her comrades.

There was a knock at her window and she looked up. To her surprise Kennen stood watching her with a mischievous grin on his face. He lifted up the window and jumped into the room, landing on Akali's bed. She wondered why her window was even open and decided to leave it be… Kennen was always planning these kinds of things.

"So? Doctors say anything?"

"Yes, I can leave in four days' time. Is that good enough for you?" She teased and he snorted.

"Better than staying here another week," he muttered and Akali gave a small laugh but she felt as though there was another meaning behind that sentence. There was a small silence between the two and Akali felt something different. There was **never **a silence with Kennen around.

"What is it?" she asked him, scanning his face for any emotion.

"Well you see…" he paused before taking a breath. "Shen is really different without you around, Akali. Today he blew up at Master because he, no, we don't know what happened to you. I know you're probably supposed to keep quiet about it and all, but don't keep us worrying so much."

Akali was silent a she stared out the window. He was right, absolutely right. There was nothing she could say to him to reassure him of what was happening. Nothing at all. And noticing this, the yordle sighed and quietly left the room once again through the window

…..

A/N: Please leave a review. I would love to know what anyone thinks and whether I should continue posting new chapters. If there is positive feedback, a new chapter may or may not be posted within next month… exams and stuff.

A warning though, this story might not be lore friendly. I'll try to keep everyone as in character as I can but I will tweak a few people to fit the storyline more.


	2. Painful Words

Shen walked silently through the halls of the hospital, occasionally nodding to the nurses and doctors who walked by him. His frequent visits over the past few days had earned him a few respectable greetings and smiles. Apparently visiting their patients earned you their respect.

As he neared Akali's room, he spotted Kennen leaning against the wall next to the doorway. Confused as to why his smaller friend would stand outside instead of sitting with Akali, he quickened his pace a little until he reached the Heart of the Tempest.

After an exchange of greetings, Shen then asked what the Yordle was doing outside.

"Master and Akali are speaking. Have been for the past twenty minutes now. He said I couldn't go in until I was told to," Kennen said, shrugging as he spoke.

Shen looked into the doorway to indeed see their Master standing by Akali's bed. From what he could see, neither of them were looking to happy. In fact, Akali looked stressed while the Master looked downright furious. What made him so upset?

Just then, he swivelled on his feet and walked right out of the room, past Shen and Kennen and down the hallway. The two exchanged looks of confusion.

"What was that about?" Kennen muttered, shocked at his master's display.

"Whatever it was, it can't be good. Let's go in."

As they walked over to her, she didn't even notice their approach. Lost in her own train of thought, it was only when Kennen cleared his throat did she wake up from her reverie.

"Oh, um, sorry about that," she uttered, her eyes trailing to the door. Had the Master surprised her as well?

"What happened here? Master looked like he wanted to throttle someone."

"I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case right now…"

"What? Why?"

Looking a little uncomfortable, Akali shifted in her bed as Shen's gaze searched her face for any tell-tale signs. She was avoiding eye contact. There was something she wasn't telling them.

"Well?" Shen prompted her.

…

"I was ambushed, Shen. A group of people were waiting for me when I got to the designated area." She finally let out, her face frowning as she spoke.

All of a sudden Shen stiffened and his eyes narrowed. Warning lights began to flicker in Akali's mind as she watched him.

"But the reports said you were only fighting one person."

Shaking her head, Akali stated, "The reports are false. There were at least six to eight people."

"And this is what you haven't been telling us?" Shen spoke, his voice dangerously low.

"Well, yes but-," she was interrupted as he continued.

"And you didn't think it important to tell us anything about what happened?"

"No! I just couldn't. Not at the time."

"Do you have any idea what this means?" His voice went a little louder and she winced at the look he was giving her.

"Of course I do! That's why I didn't want to-,"

"You were setup, Akali. Setup!"

"Come on, guys… don't do this." Kennen begged. But inside, he knew it was in vain. He knew those looks on both their faces: neither were going down without a scathing remark.

That tone Shen was using aggravated her so much. She felt anger bubble in her chest, threatening to boil over. Who was he to treat her as though she were a child?

"I can take care of myself, Shen. I'm not weak! I don't always need you around!" she bit back, ignoring Kennen's plea.

"Yes, and that's why you came home the way you did!"

"You make it sound as though it were my fault I got ambushed!"

"Well maybe it was! You're always so reckless and maybe it got you into trouble this time!"

Suddenly, hearing that stabbing statement, her anger dissipated and was replaced with an overwhelming sadness. Didn't he even care that she was here, alive and well and not lying in some ditch stone cold and lifeless?

Holding back the tears filling up her eyes, she turned her head away from him and said softly, "I guess it doesn't matter that I'm still alive, huh?"

….

At this, Shen was silent. His eyes dropped to the floor and he leaned against the wall with a sigh. Not knowing what to say he just kept quiet. What he said was stupid but he couldn't take it back. What's done is done. He knew he hurt her. He could see it in her eyes, but he couldn't bring up the strength to apologize.

As he lifted his eyes off the ground, he saw their Master enter the room once again, looking much calmer than before but still holding an anger in his eyes. The older man noted the odd tension between the three but decided not to comment on it. Judging by Akali's distress, something had happened between them.

"I take it, she has told you about the situation?" After getting no reaction from Shen or Akali, the smallest member took it upon himself to give a basic answer.

"You have no idea…" Kennen said, looking rather angry himself.

Raising an eyebrow, the old man continued, "What has made me so upset is the fact that Akali's task was not setup by me."

"It wasn't? Then who did it?" Akali asked, now holding an interest for the conversation at hand.

"Your task was a direct order from the League. It was approved of the higher ups as well."

"So… they did this to me?"

"I do not think they would betray our trust and pact. Something is not right."

"If it was approved of the higher ups, how was the task even known by her ambushers?" Kennen asked, confusion clear in his voice tone.

"I do not know, young one. But I will look into it myself."

…..

Sometime after, Shen and the Master left and Kennen stayed behind. He could tell Akali was still hurt. Shen overreacted, but no one knew it more than Shen himself. He could see it. The sudden guilt in Shen's eyes after he saw the shocked look Akali gave him was enough for him to know just how sorry Shen was.

The Yordle jumped on Akali's bed, legs dangling off the side and watched his friend stare silently out the window.

"Come on, Akali. You know he didn't mean it like that," Kennen attempted. Akali turned to look at him.

"I think he did. Maybe he was right. Maybe I am a little too reckless. But at least I'm alive, here, breathing right now. Shouldn't it make him at least a little happy and understanding?" She sighed.

"Believe me, he's happy. It's just he was worried sick about you. That's his way of showing he cares."

"Yes, well, if that's the case," Akali looked him in his eyes. "I don't want it."

….

Shen sat on the roof of the hospital, silently viewing the sky above him. Oh how ridiculous he felt now. He'd hurt her with his stupid comments. He hated seeing her so hurt. She thought he couldn't see those tears brimming in her eyes, but he'd seen them. And they'd hurt him as well.

Right now, Kennen would be trying to create peace. Always the mediator, he was. But now, Shen felt as though he'd crossed the line. It's not as if he and Akali had not had fights in the past, all friends have fights, but this felt extreme.

"I guess it doesn't matter that I'm still alive, huh?"

Those words.

They kept repeating themselves over and over in his mind.

Of course it mattered that she was still alive! But keeping the whole ordeal a secret was definitely not a way to go about it!

Sighing, he stood up and slowly walked out of the building, taking his time to gather his wild thoughts. He was overthinking things. That was what always got him into arguments with her. Overthinking silly scenarios into something bigger.

How would he fix this one?

Suddenly, he felt a tugging magic take hold of him and he prepared himself. He was being summoned for a Rift match.

Perfect timing. He needed to get rid of some stress.

…

High Councillor Kolminye was a busy woman. There was never a moment where she could truly say that there was no work for her to do. There would always be paperwork, applications into the League, meetings with other councillors, training summoners, and the list went on and on. So when one of their war veterans and master to the Kinkou appeared in front of her with stress marred features she knew something was up.

"Satoshi, how may I help you?" she asked the olderely man and his frown deepened

"It was to my understanding you approved of the task set for Akali, correct?"

"Yes, yes indeed. I have heard of what has happened to her, but I assure you, we have no part in it."

"Ah, but that's just it. How else would her ambushers even know she would be there?"

Narrowing her eyes at him, she held his eye contact. The steely resolve in his eyes was one that surprised her. He was not doing this as Akali's master. It was as if he were doing it for his own daughter.

"Very well… I will look into it. Truthfully, the whole setting up of the task was a bit fishy to me."

"As was it to me. Please, contact me if you find anything."

"Of course."

….

"Alright, Miss Akali. You're good to go. Everything is in good condition."

"What about my arm and chest?"

"The magic readings in your body are good but give it one more day then come back here. We'll fix you up good as new."

"Thank you Doctor."

"My pleasure, Miss."

With that, the white clothed doctor left Akali standing by her bed. Stretching her body, she let out a sigh. Finally she would be going home! To her own bed, own room, and best of all, not cooped up here whole day. Of course she'd still have to come back for check-ups but that was not at all a bad thing compared to being stuck in bed.

A head poked itself through the doorway and its eye lit up when it viewed Akali.

"Hey!" The Heart of the Tempest said, and Akali gave him a small smile.

"Morning to you too."

"Yeah, yeah. Look, Master told me you were leaving the hospital today and stuff. I figured you couldn't be walking around like that," he pointed to her hospital clothing, which were rather revealing. He had a point. "So I brought you some clothes."

"You didn't mess up my room looking for these few things, right?"

"Of course not. Who do you think I am? Hurry up, I don't want to be here any longer than I need to."

She headed to the bathroom and attempted to get dressed. Being given a T-shirt that said I LOVE NINJAS, jeans and sandals, Akali rolled her eyes. Typical Kennen. It was a struggle to put it on though, as her as her arm wouldn't budge through the opening and in the end, she had to call a nurse for help.

"Leaving so soon, lovely?" the nurse asked. It was the same one who checked her daily. The woman tugged her T-shirt over her head.

"Mhmm. About time. I hate being in hospital," Akali replied, putting her arm through one of the holes and being helped with the other arm.

"Everyone does. It's good to see you're back on your feet again." The nurse took a step back and Akali sighed in relief as the T-shirt fit snuggly.

"Thank you. You were very nice to me." Akali stated, pulling her jeans up her legs.

"You allowed me to do my job. You don't get many patients who that nowadays. I should be thanking you. Good day to you now, love."

As the nurse left, Akali quickly finished getting dressed and headed out to meet her Yordle friend who looked a little peeved.

"Tch, could you have taken any slower?" he muttered once she finally came out.

"You try dressing with a broken arm."

"Alright, point taken."

As she signed out of the hospital, she was surprised to see Shen waiting for them at the entrance of the hospital. When he saw her, his eyes dropped to the floor and she sighed. Guess things wouldn't be normal again so quickly. But she also couldn't ignore the anger that would bring itself up when she looked at him. She wasn't ready to forgive him so quickly.

….


	3. Silence

**A/N: My apologies guys... Our house was being reworked and the internet was put off for that time. Heres your next update :)**

...

Leaning against her door, she sighed. That had not gone smoothly at all. The tense atmosphere had been weighing heavily over her like a raincloud. What surprised her was that Shen had been there waiting for them. After their fight, she had not expected him to be there at all. The silence during their walk spoke for itself.

She glanced at her window, which gave a beautiful view of the League's gardens, and came to a decision. It was still quite early into the day, perhaps she could pay one of her friends a visit. She could use a little girl time.

Fetching a thin jacket, she exited her room.

…..

Shen felt bad.

No, not bad, terrible.

The surprise had been evident when she and Kennen strolled out of the hospital.

She hadn't expected him to be there.

Truthfully, neither had he but he thought that since she was finally getting out of the hospital, he should've at least been there for her.

A lot of good that did them.

He gave a small snort while he walked through the gardens on a dirt path. To anyone else, his stony features would betray no emotion, but it was clear in his edgy movements and lack of attention to his surroundings that there was indeed something wrong.

As he walked, paying little of his time to the area around him, he bumped into a hard figure.

Dragging his eyes towards the person, he muttered his apologies but soon stopped when he realised he had walked into one of his friends.

"Afternoon, Shen," Lee Sin greeted the Eye of Twilight with an amused smile on his face. It wasn't everyday Shen was like this.

"Lee," Shen replied. "What brings you here?"

"Just taking a walk. Needed some fresh air from the rift," Lee said, and Shen nodded. Being inside the league could be tiring and quite stressful at times. "You do not seem well, is something the matter?"

The two started to walk side by side through the peaceful gardens. There were several other champions relaxing in the grassy surroundings, all seeking the tranquillity only found in the garden. Though this didn't do anything to soothe Shen's mood, but it was plainly obvious that the Eye of Twilight was in need of a little company. When Shen finally replied, the smile on Lee's face fell away into a small frown.

"Nothing… Just that I may have upset a friend." Shen responded, softer than he had intended, but the blind man had heard him well enough.

"Akali, is it? Has she healed well?"

Was it that obvious it was her?

"Yes, she is doing well."

"I see… and why is she upset?" The curiosity in Lee's voice was laced with pity.

"I may have said she was weak… and considering the circumstances that was not a good thing to say." The ninja clenched his fists before relaxing them again.

"This is not the first time I have heard of your quarrels, Shen. You should speak to her, let her know what's been on your mind."

"I always say the wrong thing at the wrong time. I wouldn't be surprised if she stays angry," he said recalling the hurt and tears in her eyes.

A moment of silence passed between the two as they walked before Lee broke the quietness.

"If it isn't too much to ask, what happened on Akali's task that had her in hospital?"

Shen took a deep breath before muttering his answer.

"She was ambushed. I hadn't gotten the full story from her yet, but someone in the League set her up."

The monk seemed to think about this for a few moments before he replied.

"That is quite serious, Shen. I do not think it would be wise to leave her alone. If what you say is true, then even within the walls of the League she is unsafe."

"I know… but I think I'm the last person she would want to see right now."

The monk turned his way before facing in front of him again. He seemed to be considering something before he spoke.

"Shen, I was there the day she came back from her task…" He started "I was just walking by but when I heard the commotion and her screaming voice, I was curious as to what was happening."

Shen's curiosity heightened, he turned his head to Lee. "What? What happened?"

"She was hysterical, calling for you and asking for you. I do not think she was conscious of what she was doing as even in her injured state, she fought against those who were trying to help her. Eventually they had to sedate her to get her to the hospital. She might not remember that moment at all."

Unable to speak as he took in the piece of information, Shen turned to Lee but before he could speak, the monk lifted a hand to stop him.

"It would be best if you mended your relationship as soon as possible. I fear things will not go well if you don't."

Shen stopped and watched as Lee walked on without him.

…

"Akali? What a pleasant surprise. Come in."

Akali was ushered into the comfortable home of Karma, who hurriedly began to boil water. This was a well-known move as Karma would always make tea for the two of them.

"You are well, Akali? I heard what had happened to you but things have been so busy lately, I just didn't have the time…" Karma looked apologetic but Akali waved it off.

"I understand, you do not need to worry yourself. I'm fine," the kunoichi said, much to the relief of her friend.

"You don't look all that fine to me, Akali… You're practically radiating unsettledness. What's the matter?" Karma asked, her eyebrows furrowing as she gazed at her friend.

"It's a long story…"

"I have all the time. Do tell," the brunette urged.

"It's Shen."

Karma rolled her eyes and rested her head in her hands.

"**Not **you two again…" she muttered. Akali frowned but continued nonetheless.

"This time it's serious," she urged, and Karma cracked a smile.

"That's what you say every time. Just explain to me what happened and I'll be the judge of what's serious and what's not but first…" she stood up and headed back to her kitchen, emerging a minute later with a tray with a porcelain tea pot, the steam moving steadily out its opening, and two tea cups.

As Akali explained her story, from the beginning with her mission, Karma listened without interrupting. Occasionally she raised her eyebrows, or her eyes would suddenly widen, but she uttered not a word.

Taking a sip of her tea, Akali stared into the contents of the cup, a frown etched onto the features of her face.

Karma sighed. She couldn't say that this was any worse than the ninjas' previous fights but it also wasn't as simple was that.

"You're right, Akali. This one actually is quite serious, but it's nothing you can't fix."

"But what can I do? He hasn't uttered a word to me since the fight."

"Akali do you know that that boy spent every spare minute he had by your side while you were unconscious?"

Surprised by the sudden statement, the kunoichi opened her mouth as to say something but her words got caught in her throat. Karma seemed to notice this and continued.

"Every day, he would sit there next to your bed and watch you, as if to make you wake up. According to Kennen he would frequently anger himself over the smallest reasons when you were gone. Does this not say anything to you?"

"Well, not really…"

"I swear, you both are so **dense** it's unbelievable. He cares so much for you. I'm going to take a guess and say you haven't noticed the way he looks at you."

"What are you talking about, Karma? He is my superior and doesn't see me as anything but a lowly subordinate. That's why he treats me like such a … child."

"Ever considered that maybe he is worried about your safety and wellbeing?"

"That's not…"

"Akali, please open your eyes. Have you noticed how soft he is with you and then suddenly with others he's like a brick wall?"

"…"

"Think about it for a few minutes. I'll make us some sandwiches, you should be hungry by now."

Unable to reply, Akali's eyes drifted from her friend back to her half empty cup.

Was that really the truth?

….

The Fist of Shadow found herself staring into her ceiling as she lied down in bed.

She could not sleep.

Her mind was a mess of thoughts, all connected to one person. And how that one person looked at her. It was a mixture of sadness and… something else she could not place. The walk to her home from the hospital had been quiet. So quiet it was painful. And then the talk with Karma really had her thinking.

It was strange, it was tiring but most of all it was **different**.

She had been truthful when she had told Kennen that she did not want his way of caring. That was no way to look after a woman. If he would just see her as not… a weak person, maybe they could come to an agreement. But his words had cut her more deeply than she let on.

Of course what she had said was also quite horrifying.

"I don't always need you around!"

She winced as she recalled that statement. She had seen the surprise and hurt in his eyes after she said that, and truthfully, that made her reel back for a second. But only a second before her anger took hold again.

Just thinking about it made a bubble of anger form in her chest. But then regret would weigh down on her soon after. She sighed and, pushing the sheets off of her body, got up out of bed. Sleep obviously wouldn't come anytime soon.

But then there were others signs her body gave off when he was around. The speeding up of her heart rate, sweaty palms, occasionally nervousness. The Fist of Shadow just ignored these symptoms. Irelia often laughed at her whilst Karma would give her a disapproving look, as if there was some secret she didn't know about.

Another wave of sadness crashed over her and her mind went blank. Not talking was worse than what she had imagined. It hurt not being able to say a thing to him. It hurt that he ignored her and didn't even look her way

She sighed and put her head into her hands.

Why did everything have to turn out like this? Why did she always have to mess things up?

Rethinking the whole ordeal made it seem rather silly. It was like some kind of high school thing about secrets. Not telling your best friend resulted in some heated arguments but they weren't in high school and that was just how dumb it looked now. Sure, not telling him about almost getting killed by a group of people seemed bad but it wasn't as horrible as it sounded, right?

Who was she kidding? Of course it was! Shen was calm about everything! So him getting upset obviously meant something.

Ignoring the pain of a sudden headache, she glanced at the clock sitting on her desk. She had practically stayed up the entire night and it was nearing dawn. Although she couldn't put the blame entirely on him. Her arm caused her much discomfort while trying to sleep as well as her chest. With a sigh she headed to her closet and began to dress.

While busy, she promised herself that she would speak to Shen during the day. It wouldn't do to have them both angry at each other and one of them had to be the better person. She would prove to him that he was wrong and that he should've taken the truth like a civilised person.

She bit her lip when the image of him treating her like a child in the hospital came to mind and a new sense of determination rose within her chest.

Yes, she would tell him and he had better listen.

But then there was the problem with her ambush. If the culprit really was in the League itself, someone must've been out to get her or her entire group of friends. Her eyes narrowed at the thought.

She'd have to be extra cautious with her surroundings now…

Whoever was after her certainly wasn't joking.

….

Heading out her room, she silently closed her door and locked it. Chances were, people would still be asleep and she didn't feel up to having angry champions spouting insults this early in the morning.

Her limbs felt like lead, and her eyes felt sensitive to the light as she walked down the corridors. Just one night without sleep and already she was feeling the side effects.

Her feet moved on their own accord and soon she realised she was walking to the Kinkou's training area. It was quiet, but soon Shen and Kennen would come for their daily training. She missed being able to train with them. Being confined to a bed was not fun in anyway but soon she would be able to join in once again. Her next appointment at the hospital was in the next few hours, but until then she would have to find something to pass time…

The Fist of Shadow didn't know how long she stood staring at nothing in particular but suddenly began to move once again. She headed towards a grassy patch before sitting down. Crossing her legs, she rested her arms on her thighs and took a deep breath.

This was the position Shen found her in. His comrade had noticed his presence but had not acknowledged it. He didn't bother spending time thinking about that though.

She was surprisingly early.

As much as he would have liked to sit and watch her in the rising sun, he had training to complete.

Not that he didn't sneak glances at her while he did his training.

…..

She knew when he arrived. She didn't make any attempt to greet him, just to see whether he would himself.

He didn't.

She could feel the way he looked at her, the odd glances he spared her. She'd be lying if she said she didn't like them but somehow it saddened her as well.

He wouldn't even make the effort to repair the damage what had been done. But then again, neither would she.

She sighed. The sooner she left the better.

…..

The Eye of Twilight felt strangely at unease. The silence was more deafening than any scream Cho'Gath could send his way.

Lee's words then suddenly echoed in his mind, **"It would be best if you mended your relationship as soon as possible. I fear things will not go well if you don't."**

But when he turned around to talk to her, he found she had gone.

…

"Alright, Miss Akali. Your healer should be here soon. Please, make yourself comfortable," the doctor gestured towards the bed right next to the doorway entrance.

Thanking him, she headed to the bed and silently awaited her healer.

She hadn't kept her promise to herself to confront Shen.

In fact, she'd run away like a damned coward. Her disappointment with herself grew with every passing minute.

"So much for telling him…" Akali gave a humourless laugh and shook her head.

"Telling who?" A feminine voice sounded from the doorway.

Looking up, Akali saw Soraka, the Starchild, gazing at her. Her amber eyes sparkled with curiosity and Akali debated on telling the healer.

"If it bothers you, you do not have to. You are the patient I must see to, yes?"

Akali gave nod and a thankful smile. Soraka returned it and started to work on the kunoichi's arm. Removing the cast and placing her hands above the treatment area, a soft purplish glow began to emanate from her palms.

Akali felt a tingling feeling in her arm as the bone was mended. It was slightly uncomfortable but she didn't dare move and stop the procedure.

Soon enough, Soraka moved from her arm to her chest, and the same tingling feeling was felt. Akali's eyes drifted to the doorway, and a sudden want to get some fresh air invaded her mind. Withholding a sigh, she watched the Starchild slowly heal the broken ribs. The intense discomfort in her chest began to ebb away into a barely felt throb.

Soraka broke her concentration with a content sigh.

"The Doctor said your thigh was also injured. Should I heal that as well?"

"Yes… but do not heal it completely."

A confused look dawned on Soraka's face. "Why ever not? It will scar if-"

"I want to remember this. It will be a mark of me surviving," Akali stated.

The Starchild looked understanding and troubled at the same time but accepted Akali's request.

When she was done, a thin pink scar ran down Akali's thigh.

"Now please, Akali, I've healed your bones but **no **strenuous activities for at least another day. Understand?"

With a nod, the kunoichi lifted herself off the bed. The Starchild headed towards the door but stopped and said, "And good luck with whoever you need to tell something." Giving an encouraging smile, she healer left.

Akali muttered a silent thank you.

…


End file.
